Born in 1949 in Montreal, Wally Pacholka has been an avid amateur astronomer and astrophotographer since joining the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 1963. He is now a member of Orange County Astronomers in Southern California.

Pacholka specializes in landscape astrophotography of America`s National Parks and great natural landmarks. His celestial photography earned him TIME Magazine`s "Picture of Year" honors for his image of Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. When Mars made it`s closest approach to Earth in history in 2003, he earned a second TIME Magazine "Picture of Year" award for his photograph of that event. He followed that honor with a LIFE Magazine "Picture of Year" for another Mars photograph that same year. LIFE Magazine`s 2007 issue of "America the Beautiful" includes one of Pacholka`s signature images. Over the years his scenic astro-landscape images have graced the pages of many other international publications including National Geographic, Newsweek, Encyclopaedia Britannia. NASA selected more than 25 of his images for their record of celestial events.

With many friends around the world as a result of his astrophotography, Pacholka appreciates the great opportunities astronomy offers in promoting peace and friendship among the peoples of the world.